With eight shrill whistles, Ashley Klein officiated one of the most one-sided halves in modern State of Origin history.
NSW coach Laurie Daley refused to go near the 8-0 halftime penalty count, telling reporters “I can’t tell you what I honestly think, so I won’t say anything”, no doubt with the NRL’s edict on referee criticism in mind.
Origin penalty counts have been broken down into first and second halves by statistic providers from 2000 onwards.
Only the game-three dead rubber in 2016, won by NSW, has delivered as lopsided a count as Wednesday’s Perth affair, with the Blues on the desirable end of a 9-1 first-half count that finished 12-3 by full-time.
Klein’s work in Queensland’s 26-24 upset has already been howled down south of the Tweed as a contributing factor to the narrow loss. Ruck-speed statistics and a second-half swing in momentum to NSW led to something of a balancing up, though the final 10-2 penalty count ranks as the second-most lopsided of the past 25 years.
It will naturally come under the microscope from NRL head office, as any one-way penalty count should.
Right here and now is your chance to do the same. In the cold light of day, take a look at the Blues eight first-half infringements – including Jarome Luai’s massaging of Reuben Cotter’s face and Zac Lomax elbowing Trent Loiero – and decide for yourself.
After an opening 40 minutes that ended up with Queensland leading 26-6 as NSW completed at just 59%, exactly how hard done by were the Blues?
Missed penalty: 3.04 – Tom Dearden escorts Zac Lomax out of a kick chase
The first instance of a possible missed penalty against the Maroons came with a Kalyn Ponga knock-on under the high ball, and a resulting NSW scrum, in any case. But Tom Dearden’s beeline to put himself in Lomax’s path caught the eye of multiple commentators, if not the officials.
Cameron Munster concedes Queensland’s first six-again a minute later when he shoves Liam Martin to the ground after a play-the-ball on the Maroons tryline. It’s a clear-cut ruck infringement.
First penalty: 9.29 – Payne Haas, holding down
Payne Haas is pinged for holding down Rob Toia inside Queensland’s 40. Haas and NSW skipper Isaah Yeo are both miffed at the ruling given Toia is rolled onto his back and similar efforts by both sides have set the tone early in proceedings.
Second penalty: 10.35 – Angus Crichton, crowding the ruck
From the resulting set of six, Angus Crichton is caught up after bringing Moeaki Fotuaika down with Dylan Edwards and Max King. Fotuaika gets to his feet and plays the ball legally, but Crichton’s presence in the ruck brings an error, which Klein points out.
A minute later King, wrestles with Munster on the ground and concedes a six-again. As does Latrell Mitchell when he grabs Rob Toia’s leg after a tackle is completed. There’s little argument to be made against either.
Munster concedes his second ruck infringement in the 21st minute for lying on top of Nathan Cleary after a Queensland mistake.
Third penalty: 21.32 – Jarome Luai, on report for facial on Reuben Cotter
Jarome Luai roughs up Reuben Cotter after a NSW knock-on and drags his hand across the Queenslander’s face. Luai is put on report and issued a grade-two contrary-conduct charge. If it had happened at NRL level, Luai would be facing a one-to-two-match ban, but punishments in representative games allow him to pay a fine just shy of $4000.
Fourth penalty: 22.35 – Angus Crichton, high tackle on Rob Toia
From that penalty, Crichton hits Roosters teammate Rob Toia on the mouth after his shoulder bounces up off the ball. Klein calls Munster and Yeo out to issue an official warning.
Fifth penalty: 27.17 – Zac Lomax, elbow on Trent Loiero
The NSW winger is struggling to get to his feet as Queensland continue to slow down the ruck, and swings his elbow straight back into Loiero’s face. The Queensland lock’s reaction results in a pause in play, Lomax being placed on report and a dangerous-contact charge that he pleads guilty to.
Sixth penalty: 29.29 – Jarome Luai, offside – inside the 10 metres
Luai is ruled offside, inside the 10 metres, on a touch judge’s tip after Cotter lost the ball in contact. Replays are inconclusive based on the broadcaster’s camera angle.
After another Queensland try, Pat Carrigan concedes a set-restart for being inside the 10 metres as NSW cross the halfway line. Klein calls him out multiple times as offside before Carrigan gets involved in the play.
Seventh penalty: 35.30 – Stefano Utoikamanu, obstruction
NSW interchange prop Stefano Utoikamanu finds himself caught in the defensive line as Cleary bumps out of a Ponga tackle and steps his way across the tryline. Utoikamanu tries to back out of the way but in doing so impedes Carrigan and a penalty is ruled.
Eighth penalty: 36.03 – Hudson Young, stripping the ball after tackle is completed
Moments later Queensland approach halfway and Carrigan is buried by Hudson Young and Spencer Leniu. While he’s on his back, Young continues to wrestle and the ball squirts free, with Klein ruling that it was illegally forced out by the Raiders back-rower.
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